University of Northern Iowa
0-1
BYU
1-0
No. 16 BYU Scores 41-17 Win Over UNI
8/30/2008 8:00:00 AM | Football
PROVO, Utah - The No. 16-ranked Brigham Young University Cougars opened the 2008 season with a 41-17 victory over the University of Northern Iowa Panthers at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
The Panthers hung with the nationally-ranked Cougars trailing only 27-17 and had the ball at the BYU 30-yard line entering the fourth quarter before the home squad pulled away in the final stanza.
The Cougars scored on their opening drive of the game as quarterback Max Hall connected with wideout Michael Reed on a 27-yard scoring strike.
UNI tallied its first points of the season on the ensuing drive as sophomore placekicker Billy Hallgren booted a 25-yard field goal. The Panthers got into scoring position following a 69-yard option run by junior quarterback Pat Grace. Grace's run put the ball on the three-yard line, but a delay of game penalty pushed the ball back to the eight. The drive stalled and the Panthers had to settle for the three-pointer.
BYU then took advantage of a Panther miscue, a Derrick Law fumble, and turned it into a 19-yard touchdown pass from Hall to Harvey Unga. Unga's score gave the Cougars a 14-3 advantage.
The Cougars added to the lead in the second quarter when Unga added a two-yard touchdown run. However, UNI senior Everette Pedescleaux blocked the extra point to keep the lead at 20-3 with 4:50 left in the first half.
The Cougars were able to extend the lead to 27-3 with only 17 seconds left in the first half on a one-yard run by Unga. However, replays showed Hall's knee was down as he stumbled away from center before he pitched the ball to Unga for the score.
UNI was able to create a turnover on the Cougars' first drive of the second half when senior linebacker De'Veon Harris recovered a fumble. The Panthers wasted little time in converting the turnover into points with a little trickery as senior wide receiver Victor Williams connected with redshirt freshman Josh Collins on a 76-yard touchdown pass. Collins' score cut the BYU lead to 27-10.
The Panthers clawed closer at the 5:59 mark of the third quarter when senior Mark Huygens fell on a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown. Junior defensive end James Ruffin sacked Hall and stripped him of the ball, then Huygens recovered it for the score. UNI trailed 27-17 after the defensive score.
UNI forced its third turnover of the third quarter when Curtis Meier forced a fumble and Adam Roberts recovered for the Panthers as the Cougars were driving. The Panthers converted one fourth down on the ensuing drive but stalled on a fourth-and-two at the BYU 30-yard line when sophomore tight end Schuylar Oordt saw a Grace pass squirt through his hands on the first play of the fourth quarter.
BYU was able to expand the lead back to 17 points, 34-17, on a 1-yard touchdown run by Hall at the 9:02 mark of the fourth quarter. The Cougars moved the lead to 41-17 on a 13-yard run by Bryan Kariya, following a fumble by Grace at the UNI 15-yard line.
The Panthers outrushed the Cougars on the day 149 yards to 77 yards, but BYU passed for 486 yards, while UNI passed for 213.
Collins led the Panther receivers with 114 yards and a touchdown on three catches. Williams and Corey Lewis tied for the team lead in receptions with four each. Grace led the UNI rushing attack with 72 yards on 11 carries. Senior Darrell Lloyd led the UNI defense with 11 tackles and a fumble recovery.
UNI will open the home season next Saturday at 4:05 p.m. against the South Dakota Coyotes.
NOTE: The game was played in front of the fourth-largest crowd in UNI football history with an announced attendance of 64,108.
Team Stats
UNI 0, BYU 7
BYU - REED, Michael 27 yd pass from HALL, Max (PAYNE, Mitch kick) 8 plays, 73 yards, TOP 2:50
UNI 3, BYU 7
UNI - Hallgren, Billy 25 yd field goal 7 plays, 74 yards, TOP 3:43
UNI 3, BYU 14
BYU - UNGA, Harvey 19 yd pass from HALL, Max (PAYNE, Mitch kick) 3 plays, 24 yards, TOP 1:27
UNI 3, BYU 20
BYU - UNGA, Harvey 2 yd run (PAYNE, Mitch kickblocked), 6 plays, 54 yards, TOP 2:03
UNI 3, BYU 27
BYU - UNGA, Harvey 1 yd run (PAYNE, Mitch kick), 6 plays, 78 yards, TOP 2:04
UNI 10, BYU 27
UNI - Collins, Josh 76 yd pass from Williams,Victor (Hallgren, Billy kick) 1 plays, 76 yards, TOP 0:12
UNI 17, BYU 27
UNI - Huygens, Mark 0 yd fumble recovery (Hallgren, Billy kick)
UNI 17, BYU 34
BYU - HALL, Max 1 yd run (PAYNE, Mitch kick), 4 plays, 60 yards, TOP 1:05
UNI 17, BYU 41
BYU - KARIYA, Bryan 14 yd run (PAYNE, Mitch kick), 2 plays, 15 yards, TOP 0:38